PM Sept 9th Prov 8

September 9^th

Proverbs, 8

1: Doth not wisdom cry? and understanding put forth her voice? 2: She standeth in the top of high places, by the way in the places of the paths. 3: She crieth at the gates, at the entry of the city, at the coming in at the doors. 4: Unto you, O men, I call; and my voice is to the sons of man. 5: O ye simple, understand wisdom: and, ye fools, be ye of an understanding heart. 6: Hear; for I will speak of excellent things; and the opening of my lips shall be right things. 7: For my mouth shall speak truth; and wickedness is an abomination to my lips. 8: All the words of my mouth are in righteousness; there is nothing froward or perverse in them. 9: They are all plain to him that understandeth, and right to them that find knowledge. 10: Receive my instruction, and not silver; and knowledge rather than choice gold. 11: For wisdom is better than rubies; and all the things that may be desired are not to be compared to it. 12: I wisdom dwell with prudence, and find out knowledge of witty inventions. 13: The fear of the LORD is to hate evil: pride, and arrogancy, and the evil way, and the froward mouth, do I hate. 14: Counsel is mine, and sound wisdom: I am understanding; I have strength. 15: By me kings reign, and princes decree justice. 16: By me princes rule, and nobles, even all the judges of the earth. 17: I love them that love me; and those that seek me early shall find me. 18: Riches and honour are with me; yea, durable riches and righteousness. 19: My fruit is better than gold, yea, than fine gold; and my revenue than choice silver. 20: I lead in the way of righteousness, in the midst of the paths of judgment: 21: That I may cause those that love me to inherit substance; and I will fill their treasures. 22: The LORD possessed me in the beginning of his way, before his works of old. 23: I was set up from everlasting, from the beginning, or ever the earth was. 24: When there were no depths, I was brought forth; when there were no fountains abounding with water. 25: Before the mountains were settled, before the hills was I brought forth: 26: While as yet he had not made the earth, nor the fields, nor the highest part of the dust of the world. 27: When he prepared the heavens, I was there: when he set a compass upon the face of the depth: 28: When he established the clouds above: when he strengthened the fountains of the deep: 29: When he gave to the sea his decree, that the waters should not pass his commandment: when he appointed the foundations of the earth: 30: Then I was by him, as one brought up with him: and I was daily his delight, rejoicing always before him; 31: Rejoicing in the habitable part of his earth; and my delights were with the sons of men. 32: Now therefore hearken unto me, O ye children: for blessed are they that keep my ways. 33: Hear instruction, and be wise, and refuse it not. 34: Blessed is the man that heareth me, watching daily at my gates, waiting at the posts of my doors. 35: For whoso findeth me findeth life, and shall obtain favour of the LORD. 36: But he that sinneth against me wrongeth his own soul: all they that hate me love death.

Proverbs, 9

1: Wisdom hath builded her house, she hath hewn out her seven pillars: 2: She hath killed her beasts; she hath mingled her wine; she hath also furnished her table. 3: She hath sent forth her maidens: she crieth upon the highest places of the city, 4: Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 5: Come, eat of my bread, and drink of the wine which I have mingled. 6: Forsake the foolish, and live; and go in the way of understanding. 7: He that reproveth a scorner getteth to himself shame: and he that rebuketh a wicked man getteth himself a blot. 8: Reprove not a scorner, lest he hate thee: rebuke a wise man, and he will love thee. 9: Give instruction to a wise man, and he will be yet wiser: teach a just man, and he will increase in learning. 10: The fear of the LORD is the beginning of wisdom: and the knowledge of the holy is understanding. 11: For by me thy days shall be multiplied, and the years of thy life shall be increased. 12: If thou be wise, thou shalt be wise for thyself: but if thou scornest, thou alone shalt bear it. 13: A foolish woman is clamourous: she is simple, and knoweth nothing. 14: For she sitteth at the door of her house, on a seat in the high places of the city, 15: To call passengers who go right on their ways: 16: Whoso is simple, let him turn in hither: and as for him that wanteth understanding, she saith to him, 17: Stolen waters are sweet, and bread eaten in secret is pleasant. 18: But he knoweth not that the dead are there; and that her guests are in the depths of hell.

Proverbs, 10

1: The proverbs of Solomon. A wise son maketh a glad father: but a foolish son is the heaviness of his mother. 2: Treasures of wickedness profit nothing: but righteousness delivereth from death. 3: The LORD will not suffer the soul of the righteous to famish: but he casteth away the substance of the wicked. 4: He becometh poor that dealeth with a slack hand: but the hand of the diligent maketh rich. 5: He that gathereth in summer is a wise son: but he that sleepeth in harvest is a son that causeth shame. 6: Blessings are upon the head of the just: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 7: The memory of the just is blessed: but the name of the wicked shall rot. 8: The wise in heart will receive commandments: but a prating fool shall fall. 9: He that walketh uprightly walketh surely: but he that perverteth his ways shall be known. 10: He that winketh with the eye causeth sorrow: but a prating fool shall fall. 11: The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life: but violence covereth the mouth of the wicked. 12: Hatred stirreth up strifes: but love covereth all sins. 13: In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found: but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding. 14: Wise men lay up knowledge: but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction. 15: The rich man's wealth is his strong city: the destruction of the poor is their poverty. 16: The labour of the righteous tendeth to life: the fruit of the wicked to sin. 17: He is in the way of life that keepeth instruction: but he that refuseth reproof erreth. 18: He that hideth hatred with lying lips, and he that uttereth a slander, is a fool. 19: In the multitude of words there wanteth not sin: but he that refraineth his lips is wise. 20: The tongue of the just is as choice silver: the heart of the wicked is little worth. 21: The lips of the righteous feed many: but fools die for want of wisdom. 22: The blessing of the LORD, it maketh rich, and he addeth no sorrow with it. 23: It is as sport to a fool to do mischief: but a man of understanding hath wisdom. 24: The fear of the wicked, it shall come upon him: but the desire of the righteous shall be granted. 25: As the whirlwind passeth, so is the wicked no more: but the righteous is an everlasting foundation. 26: As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes, so is the sluggard to them that send him. 27: The fear of the LORD prolongeth days: but the years of the wicked shall be shortened. 28: The hope of the righteous shall be gladness: but the expectation of the wicked shall perish. 29: The way of the LORD is strength to the upright: but destruction shall be to the workers of iniquity. 30: The righteous shall never be removed: but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth. 31: The mouth of the just bringeth forth wisdom: but the froward tongue shall be cut out. 32: The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable: but the mouth of the wicked speaketh frowardness.

Today we are reading Proverbs chapter 8, 9 & 10. From Chapter 8v1 – 9v12 The writer speaks again about the call to wisdom and he begins saying, doesn’t wisdom cry out on the high places and next to the roadways. She cries out at the gates where people pass by. Wisdom calls to all men and especially to children. She calls on those who are lacking in knowledge and even on those who forsake wisdom. Her teaching is truth and holiness, righteous and straight. Chose wisdom rather than wealth. Wisdom he says is better than rubies. Nothing compares with wisdom. Wisdom lives with her friend Prudence and together they discover things together, quite naturally. Again the writer says that, to fear the LORD is to hate evil, pride and arrogance and an evil life and proud speaker. We must not think that everything about hatred is bad. Hatred is a good thing, if it is the hatred of bad things. And conversely, love can be a bad thing, if we love wickedness and evil things. Wisdom continues saying, good advice is mine and sound wisdom. Through wisdom, kings rule and princes decree justice. Wisdom says, I return love to those who love me and those who seek after me early will find me. The writer continues to praise the glories of wisdom. Wisdom says the LORD possessed myself before the beginning of the world. So says wisdom, listen to me and if you follow my directions you will be blessed. This is of course pure law. The writer is saying keep the Law of Moses and you will be blessed. Those who seek to be wise – find life and they will find Gods favour but the one who sins does wrong against his own life and all those who have wisdom love death. In Chapter 9 the writer continues with his theme declaring the glories of wisdom. Wisdom makes a beautiful house and invites all those who need to learn to come in. She says forsake the foolish and live. If a man reproves a man who scorns wisdom, he will receive hate in return. But if he reproves a wise man, the wise man will love him. Wise men get wiser by learning more. The fear the Lord is the beginning of wisdom and the knowledge of the holy one is true understanding. Wisdom says that through her, a mans days are increased and the years of his life increase. This is because one of the blessings of the Law was long life. From verse 13 the writer speaks about the foolish woman who seeks for the life of the young men of Israel. The foolish woman is stupid she knows nothing regarding godliness according to the law. She calls out to men to come her way and fools follow her. She says that water that is stolen is sweet and food from the same place is pleasant. But he does not know that the dead are there in her house and her guests are in the grave. The Wisdom and law keeping in this passage are all about mortal life and deliverance from death. The Law keeping of Israel was all about the flesh life. In Chapter 10 we have a major change in this book because here begins the proverbs of Solomon. These are not proverbs FOR Solomon, but proverbs BY Solomon. They are proverbs by Solomon for the benefit of all men under the law. This section of the Book extends from here right on into ch19v19. However we first enter a smaller section from here to ch 15v32 in which he specifically contrasts the godly with the ungodly. So in this chapter he describes the life and godliness of the righteous man. This section is characteristic of Solomon as he brings us couplets of truth.

A wise son makes his father glad:

but a foolish son brings heaviness to his mother.

Treasures obtained by wickedness are no profit:

but righteousness saves a man from death.

The LORD will not allow the righteous to starve

but he destroys the substance of the wicked.

He becomes poor who deals with deceit

but the work of the diligent makes a man rich.

He that gathers fruit in summer is a wise son:

but he that sleeps during harvest is a son that causes shame.

Blessings are upon the head of the just:

but violence silences the wicked.

The memory of the just is blessed:

but the name of the wicked shall rot.

The wise in heart will receive commandments:

but a silly talking fool will fall.

He that lives uprightly will live in security

but he that forsakes the law will be known for it.

He that flashes with the eye causes sorrow:

but a foolish talking man will fall.

The mouth of a righteous man is a well of life:

but violence shuts the mouth of the wicked.

Hatred stirs up arguments:

but love covers all sins.

In the lips of him that hath understanding wisdom is found:

but a rod is for the back of him that is void of understanding.

Wise men lay up knowledge:

but the mouth of the foolish is near destruction.

The rich man's wealth is his strong city:

(But) the poor are destroyed by their poverty.

The labour of the righteous brings to life:

(But) the fruit of the wicked to sin.

The man who live according to the law keeps it

but he that refuses reproof goes astray.

He that hides his hatred with lying lips,

and he that utters a slander, is a fool.

In the multitude of words there is sin:

but he that guards his lips is wise.

The words of the just is like choice silver:

the thinking of the wicked is of little worth.

The lips of the righteous feed many:

but fools die for want of wisdom.

The blessing of the LORD, it makes a man rich,

and he adds no sorrow to it.

It is fun to a fool to do mischief:

but it is fun for a man of understanding to live wisely.

The fear will come upon the wicked:

but the justice of the righteous shall be granted.

As the tornado passes by, so is the wicked will be no more:

but the righteous has an everlasting foundation.

As vinegar to the teeth, and as smoke to the eyes,

so is the lazy man to those who send him on a errand.

The fear of the LORD makes a man have many days:

but the number of the years of the wicked will be shortened.

The hope of the righteous will bring joy:

but the confidence of the wicked shall perish.

The way of the LORD is strength to the upright:

but destruction will come to the workers of iniquity.

The righteous shall never be removed:

but the wicked shall not inhabit the earth.

The mouth of the righteous allows wisdom to grow

but proud speech will be cut off.

The lips of the righteous know what is acceptable:

but the mouth of the wicked speaks pride.

This style which is so typical of a Jewish expression of speech continues through this and the next chapter.